A Fractured Fairytale
by GreyShadows117
Summary: Perfect, it's a funny word. You see, before I thought that perfect was a normal family. Kind and loving parents, and real kids, not foster ones. But now, with my family, we are anything but normal, but it's perfect. However, the journey here wasn't nearly as ideal. Follow Emeline as she searches for her parents and finds something much better. A real, loving family.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Well, here it goes. Hi everyone! My name is GreyShadows, although you can call me Kai if you like. This is my first Once Upon a Time fanfic that I've ever written, but it's not the first fanfiction in general that I've created. It's just the first on this website. This is going to be a multi-chapter fanfic, and I plan to update every day for about the first week and then change to updating once or twice a week once the storyline picks up. I have the first couple chapters all ready written out and only needing to be edited, so they will out relatively quick, and most will be longer than this one. Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and please follow, favorite, and review. It would mean the world to me. I'll see you guys again tomorrow!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything, only my OC. All rights go to the creators of Once Upon A Time. All mistakes are my own.**

 **Warnings: This chapter contains a small mention of abuse in the first couple of lines.**

* * *

Bare feet caused slight creaks in the wooden floorboards as a young girl crept slowly towards the door, Converse clutched tightly in one hand. She reached the front door, struggling to open it without making a sound or disturbing the marks left from her most recent "attitude adjustment."

It felt like hours, but finally, the door opened just enough for her to fit through and she carefully wedged it shut behind her.

Waiting for a couple of moments to make sure that no one had noticed her absence she pulled the hood of her blue sweatshirt over dark brown hair to hide her face and the bruising that surrounded it. She could only hope that she would find cover before the sun rose in about three hours and she was spotted by some random passerby.

The girl, Emeline Johnson, walked for a couple of more minutes in the blackness, the hard pavement scratching lightly at her feet before finally stopped, after ten minutes, to put on socks and her black converse before continuing on.

* * *

Emmie was exhausted by the time the sun started to rise. She hadn't really gotten much sleep the past couple of nights for fear of someone learning of her plan. She also didn't have much to her name, and she had brought even less with her, but hopefully, when she got to where she was going she would be able to replace the things that she had lost. Everything the brunette had consisted of what was in the well-worn JanSport backpack thumping rhythmically against her back and shoulders in time with her steps. The only things in there were some clothes, her birth certificate, and of course, her most prized possession: the Eeyore stuffed animal that she had gotten in one of her better foster homes.

* * *

The sun was well in the sky, about eleven or twelve in the afternoon, when Emmie stopped. She was in front of a small little train station, and while she knew she had a little money to spend on a ticket, she couldn't afford to get both the ticket and food. Obviously, the ticket was more important, despite the rumbling in the little girl's stomach that was trying to persuade her otherwise.

Emmie sighed sadly, glancing back at the small café tucked into the corner before stepping up to the ticket booth. "One ticket to Maine, please."

Her voice came out slightly hoarse from lack of use over the past few days, and it caused the lady running the stand to look up from her screen and at her. "Where are your parents?" the blonde asked, very evidently more out of duty than concern.

"Oh, um," the blue-eyed girl stumbled for a response. "Back there," she pointed to a couple about to board a train. "They went ahead while I got a snack from the café."

The ticket lady shrugged uncaringly. "Ok. It will be $5."

Emeline handed over the money before slowly walking past the ticket booth and into the open room. She had never been in a train station before, and she had no clue what to do. The girl could only hope that she found the right train and got on it before it left the station without her. Looking around, she started her search for the train that would take her ever more closer to her destination.

* * *

Hours later, Emeline awoke with a start, mentally scolding herself for nodding off. She looked up, noticing that the train-car was being quickly evacuated and she stood, stretching lightly. This was it. The last leg of her journey. She had no clue what time it was, but when the blue-eyed girl stepped outside, the sun was almost completely set.

Quickly combing her fingers through her medium length brown hair and rubbing her eyes, she set off once again, glancing down at the paper map of Maine that she had printed at the public library one day after school. Her destination wasn't marked in any form on the map, but she had a faint idea of where it was, though she couldn't explain why.

After about an hour more of walking the girl was convinced that she was completely lost. She was no longer in the big city, but rather in a woodsy area. Or at least, she thought she was until she saw a sign marking the side of the road.

Welcome to Storybrooke.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! So I'm back with another chapter, just like I promised. I don't know if anyone was wondering but this story takes place somewhere between the second a third season, before everyone travels to Neverland. Sorry if there was any confusion about that. Next up, thank you to everyone who followed and favorited, and to the one person who reviewed. It really means a lot to me. This chapter is another pretty short one, but they will start to get longer around** **chapter five once the storyline starts to pick up. And finally, please follow, favorite, and review. Tell me what you think or if you have any suggestions, and I'll be back again tomorrow! Thanks for reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I only own my OC, Emeline, and the parts of the storyline that I came up with. I do not own OUaT. Also, all mistakes are my own.**

* * *

The small town was calm and sleepy. By the time Emmie reached what looked to be the main road, she still had only seen one person, a blonde woman who had looked slightly suspicious to see her.

The girl's head was pounding in rhythm with her steps as she walked along the hard pavement, and her ears were ringing slightly. She knew that she needed to find a place to rest and regroup. There weren't any empty-looking buildings, so Emelia made a split second decision and turned sharply towards the woods. It was better than collapsing from exhaustion or getting a migraine. Which was going to happen at the rate that she was going.

The dark haired girl walked into the dense woods, wandering in a random direction until she could barely see the town. She slowly crouched down behind a tree before setting down her green backpack and using it as a makeshift pillow that was only slightly uncomfortable.

The moss and grass covered ground was surprisingly soft and the young girl had no problem falling asleep, despite the cool morning air.

* * *

The sun was making its way steadily across the sky when Emeline woke again however, she immediately became acutely aware that she was no longer alone in the woods. She could practically feel someone's eyes boring into her back as slowly turned around only to come face to face with the blonde from before.

The woman was sitting a fair distance away from her, leaning her elbows on her knees in a relaxed position. Emeline sat up, self-consciously running a hand through her slightly tangled dark brown hair as she waited for her say something. What felt like forever to Emmie passed before she finally gave into to temptation and spoke first. Something that had been drilled into her not to do. Be good. Don't speak unless spoken to. Don't make them mad. Whatever you do, don't make them mad.

"W-who are you?" The blue-eyed girl's voice came out shakier that she meant and she cursed herself mentally.

"I'm Emma Swan, the Storybrooke sheriff." The blonde's voice was calm, not stern or judgmental, unlike most other adults. "Now, who are _you_?"

"I'm, uh, Emily." It wasn't a total lie. People had called her Emily before, that just wasn't what she typically went by.

Emma smirked and waited a second before responding. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I have a superpower of sorts: I can tell when people are lying, and you, kid, are. So, do you want to tell me your real name?"

"Emeline," The girl mumbled quietly, looking at the ground in embarrassment from being caught in a lie as she felt her cheeks turn a slight pink that stood out against her pale skin.

"Thank you, Emeline," Emma responded, with another small smile that Emmie couldn't decide if it was a smirk or not. "Now, what are you doing here?"

The brunette was about to tell another half-truth, when Emma quirked an eyebrow at the girl, stopping the fib. Could she really tell when someone was lying?

"I ran away."

For some reason, the blonde didn't seem at all surprised by her admission. "From where?"

Emmie stayed quiet, looking back down at the ground and picking at a particularly interesting piece of grass.

"Where did you run away from, Emeline?" The sheriff asked, her voice kind but serious.

"If I tell you, you're just going to track down my foster parents and send me back," the girl accused, still not meeting the blonde's eyes as she placed her hands back into her lap.

Emma moved closer, intending to have her make eye contact instead of looking at the plant covered ground, but the girl jumped backward, the back of her head bumping against a tree behind her.

The sheriff held up her hands in a placating manner while studying the brunette. "Emeline, look at me," She for the girl's eyes to nervously meet hers before continuing. "I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm not going to try and find your foster parents right now."

When she got no response after a minute Emma continued. "You're sweatshirt says Annapolis on it. Is that how far you traveled? From Maryland?" The girl nodded once hesitantly. "Okay, that's a start. Why don't we go somewhere inside to talk?"

The way Emma said it in a way that told the girl that she didn't have any choice in the matter, but still, she stayed backed up against the tree, shaking lightly from the cold.

The sheriff sighed softly to herself as she noticed the girls shaking. She wasn't sure the exact temperature, but it couldn't be more than 45 degrees outside. "Come on, kid. Take a deep breath. You're safe here, no one's going to hurt you, but you're going to freeze if you stay out here."

Emeline listened silently to Emma's soothing words, slowly drawing in a deep breath to mimic the over-exaggerated ones that the sheriff was taking.

"That's it," Emma praised with a small smile that reached her eyes, "good girl."

The blonde stood slowly, being sure not to startle the girl again as she reached a hand towards her. "Come on, it's gonna be okay, kid."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm back again guys! Just like I promised. Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed. Actress10, you were really close in your guess, but not entirely right. I already have planned out who her parents are, and how she will meet them, but that isn't for another couple of chapters. Anyways, I don't really have anything else to say other than please** **follow, favorite, and review. And now, without further ado, on with the chapter, and I will see you guys again tomorrow!**

* * *

Emeline hesitated for a second before taking the sheriffs hand and standing up, wincing slightly as the marks on her back complained in protest.

If Emma noticed her discomfort, she didn't make any comment on it as she moved her hand from the girls back to her shoulder, gently guiding her through the woods and back towards town.

* * *

Emma had led the girl to a small, local diner called "Granny's." The woman, who Emmie assumed was Granny, was a kind, older woman serving the few customers who were seated at the booths and counter. The blonde sheriff gently guided the girl over to an unoccupied booth, sitting opposite the kid, and nonchalantly looking down at the menu in front of her.

"Hmm," Emma mused after a couple of minutes. "What do you think looks good? Personally, I'm leaning towards a good ol' burger and some fries."

"Not hungry," Emmie responded automatically.

Emma looked up from the menu, giving the girl a look. "The truth please."

"I'm not..." The girl said with far less conviction than before, blushing a light pink as she looked down at the table.

Emma reached across the table, gently grabbing the girls chin and prompting her to look up at the savior. She knew that the kid had to be hungry, whether she was willing to admit it or not. "Don't talk to the table, talk to me."

Emeline fought herself not to smile. Emma's touch was soft, a lot softer than any other adult's that she had ever felt, and she unconsciously leaned into it.

Emma met the girl's eyes for another moment before turning as Ruby came over to take their order. The sheriff asked for two orders of cheeseburgers and fries, and two hot chocolates as an afterthought.

When the food came, the two ate in silence for a while, Emmie picking at the fries, but no touching the burger at all.

"What's wrong, kid? Do you not like it? You can ask for something else," Emma asked softly after a few minutes of watching the girl barely eat anything.

"No, it's not that," the brunette replied softly, at some point she had gone back to looking down, but Emma didn't bother to correct her this time.

"Well then, what is it?"

Emeline looked uncomfortable. She didn't want to make Emma mad, especially when she had been so kind to her and bought her food. "I-I don't eat meat."

"Ah," A knowing look passed across the blonde's face. "Do you want me to get something else for you?"

The blue-eyed girl shook her head no. "I'm fine."

Emma gave her another look but didn't say anything.

"Hey, kid, how old are you?" Emma asked after she finished her delicious meal.

Emeline held up ten fingers but didn't say anything in response to the woman's question.

"When we were in the woods earlier, you flinched when I touched your back. Are you hurt?"

"N-no," Emmie mumbled, frowning at the tablecloth.

"Mmm," Emma replied in a tone that was somehow both calm and serious at the same time. "Back to lying now, are we?"

Emeline blushed. "I-I'm not lying," she insisted weakly, not daring to look up at the woman.

Emma sighed softly under her breath. "Emeline, listen to me. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to call CPS or contact your foster parents. So please, don't lie to me, kid. Just trust me. Okay?"

The brunette looked at the older woman for a minute before nodding slightly. "Okay."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey guys! I have a longer than usual chapter for you guys today, but I'm not sure if there will be another one in the next two days. I really hope to be able to upload, but I won't be at home, so I have no clue if I'll have** **access to internet long enough to edit and post a new chapter. I debated posting all three chapters today, but I don't have time to go through and edit all three of them and get packed for my trip, so I hope this will be enough for now. Plus, we are very close to finding out who Emeline's parents are. It should be in the next couple of chapters. On a different note, thank you to everyone who has commented, favorited, or reviewed, and if you haven't yet, please follow, favorite, and review! Tell me who you think are Emmie's parents, or who you think they should be. I love hearing your guy's opinions and thoughts on where this story should go. I hope that my story is living up to your expectations. And now, may I present chapter four of a Fractured Fairytale!**

 **Disclaimer: I only own my OC, Emmie. I do not own OUaT, although I wish I did.**

 **Warning: There are a couple of small mentions of abuse in this chapter, please do not read if that will upset you in any way.**

* * *

"So are you going to tell me the truth now? How did you get hurt?" Emma's voice was soft and kind in the quiet diner. There wasn't a chance of anyone overhearing their conversation, despite the lack of commotion in the localized restaurant.

"Sorry for lying," the girl apologized, half hoping that she would be able to deflect the question.

"Nice try. Apology accepted, but answer the question, kid," Emma replied, smirking slightly at the girl's effort to avoid the inquiry.

"My, um, my foster father," the girl's face continued to get redder as she spoke and Emma stood up, crossing in front of the booth so that she could kneel in front of Emeline.

"Okay, kid, first off, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. That's not your fault, and I don't want you to ever think that it was. Understand?" Emma asked in a kind but firm voice, and when the girl nodded she continued. "Second, we're going to need to get you seen by a doctor at some point."

"Bu-"

"No," Emma cut the kid's complaint off. "not negotiable. And lastly, I need you to stay here while I go make a phone call. Can I trust you to do that?"

Emeline nodded sadly, her mind spinning. Who would she be calling? CPS? Maybe more police officers? The possibilities in her mind were endless, but none were pleasant.

The sheriff caught on to the change in her emotion. "Don't worry. I'm not calling child protective services. I'll be right back." She threw a small smile at the girl before walking out the diner and into the cool air outside.

* * *

Emma returned to the diner a couple of minutes later, greatly relieved when she saw that the girl was still where she had been left, although the girl looked once again close to falling asleep.

"Hey, kiddo," the sheriff smiled honestly, bending down in front of the girl again. "tired?"

"No," the girl breathed out, her eyes fluttering open.

"Mhm, sure. Come on, Emeline, you should know by now that you can't lie to me," the blonde responded, not unkindly, as she slowly and gently grabbed the girl's upper arm and helping her to stand.

Emmie reached behind her, grabbing her backpack with all of her possessions before following the woman out of the diner.

Emma reached back, placing her hand on the brunette's shoulder, being careful to avoid her back as she gently guided the girl through the small town.

* * *

Emma had introduced Emeline to Henry after her son had gotten out of school, and now the two kids were sitting on the playground talking about something. Henry's expression full of happiness while Emmie looked like she was about to fall asleep. If Henry noticed, he didn't care, and it was quite funny to the blonde, to be honest, however, she did feel bad for dragging the girl around when she clearly needed some clean clothes and a good night's sleep. In a real bed.

But first, before she could give that to the little girl she first needed to do what she came here for.

Speaking of which, Emma looked up as Mr. Gold, AKA Rumpelstiltskin walked over to her. "You called Ms. Swan?"

The greeting wasn't cold, but it also wasn't welcoming, and the light-haired sheriff had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. "I need you to look into something for me. That girl over there. She was able to find Storybrooke, but she's not from the Enchanted Forest, or in the book."

"Alright. But what's in it for me?" Gold bargained, sitting down beside the woman, watching the kids as they talked with an impassive look on his face.

"Well, she's an unknown for everyone, and I'm betting that you don't like that just as much as I don't. If we don't know who she is, how can we know if she's any kind of threat." Emma doubted her words, even as she said them. The girl had been nothing but kind if not a bit shy and guarded. Definitely not a danger to anyone.

"Very well," the man agreed, standing back up. "I'll call you when I find something out."

With that, Gold made his exit, and Emma stood up, walking over to the two kids with a small smile.

"Mom, she's asleep," Henry pointed out once the sheriff was in front of him.

"I see that kiddo," Emma responded, ruffling the boy's hair while debating whether or not she should bother to wake the girl or just carry her. In the end, carrying her won out, the girl had dark circles under her eyes, it was obvious that she hadn't really slept in a while.

Emma reached down, lifting up the surprisingly light girl and brushing a few strands of hair out of the ten-year-olds face. "Come on, kid, Emeline is going to be staying with us for a couple of days until everything gets figured out."

"She prefers to be called Emmie," Henry responded, following his mom.

A smile crossed Emma's face. "Alight kid, come on."

* * *

"Mary Margret? David?" The savior's voice carried through the loft as she followed her son in, still holding a sleeping Emeline.

"Over here E-" the elementary school teacher looked up, her words abruptly cutting off as she rushed over to her daughter. "Oh my god. What happened, is she okay!?"

Emma smiled at the woman's concern, carefully laying the girl down on the couch. "She's fine, just asleep."

"I'm going upstairs to look at the book, mom," the eleven-year-old cut in as he ran up the stairs to the loft bedroom, mindful not to trip.

Mary Margret looked at the mother and son pair, a slight look of confusion. "Who is she?" the brunette asked, gesturing to the sleeping girl.

"I don't know," Emma responded, lowing her voice slightly as they moved to the chairs as not to wake the dark-haired girl. "She showed up in town today. Her name is Emeline. Gold's looking into why she was able to find Storybrooke, and I was hoping she'd be able to stay here."

Mary Margret took a minute to process everything her daughter had said. "Of course she can stay here. We might be a little pressed for space though."

"Thank you," Emma smiled, "hopefully Gold finds out who she is in a timely manner for once."

Just then, the girl stirred in her sleep, her breath hitching slightly before she shot up, her eyes full of fear.

Emma was in front of the girl in a second, bending down so she was eye level with the girl. "Hey. Hey, kid, it's okay. Just breathe, deep breaths. Shh, it's okay. You're safe."

Emma repeated the same words over and over, the girl's breathing slowly returning to normal. However, Emma was nearly knocked off her feet as Emeline suddenly launched herself towards the sheriff, wrapping her arms around the woman's waist. The savior was surprised for a second, but she reached up, gently stroking the girl's hair.

It took the girl a couple more minutes to fully calm down, and in that time, Mary Margret had gone upstairs with Henry to give the girl some privacy. When the girl finally pulled away, Emma stood up before sitting down on the couch beside the girl. "Okay, so want to tell me what that was all about, Emmie?"

Emeline looked up, wiping the remaining tears from her face. She shook her head. "N-no not really."

Emma smirked slightly at the girl's response. "You know, in my experience, talking about nightmares can help get rid of them." When the girl didn't say anything, she continued. "I was in foster care too. I just recently met my parents, but when I first came to Storybrooke, I had really bad nightmares too. Every night, actually."

"How did you get rid of them?" The-ten-year-old had turned to face the sheriff, her full attention on the blonde.

"Well, at first, I tried to hold everything in. I thought that I could control them without involving anyone else. But eventually, I realized that other people cared, and talking to them helped. It took a while, but one day, I woke up and realized that I hadn't had a nightmare. In fact, I hadn't had one in the preceding days either."

"I, um, my foster father h-he, he would- I'm sorry, I can't," Emmie's breathing sped up slightly as memories flooded her mind.

"It's okay, kid. Talk to someone when you're ready. It doesn't have to be me. Just find someone that you trust, okay?" The savior spoke softly, holding eye contact with the girl.

"Okay."

Emma glanced over at the clock on the wall. "Alright kid, I'll tell you what. It's a little past two pm. The bathroom is down that hall over there. Why don't you go freshen up and then go upstairs with Henry? There's another bed up there where you can put your stuff for now, and we can look into getting you some more clothes and anything else you may need."

"You don't have to do that Ms. Swan, I can stay somewhere else," Emeline replied softly, looking down at the light colored couch."

Emma gently grabbed the girl's chin, making the girl look at her as she spoke in a kind but firm voice. "Don't even think about it. You're staying here and that's final. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am," the brunette responded softly, her face turning pink in embarrassment.

Emma smiled slightly, ruffling the girl's slightly tangled hair. "Good girl. And no more 'Ms. or ma'am. It's just Emma, kid."

Emeline smiled, despite the heat in her cheeks, she had no clue why Emma was being so kind to her, but even the small bit of praise from the woman made her incredibly happy.

"Okay, m- Emma." The girl rose slowly from the couch, making her way towards the bathroom that Emma had pointed out, her backpack clutched tightly in one hand. Maybe she really would find what she was looking for here in Storybrooke after all.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! So I'm sorry that I wasn't able to get this chapter up yesterday, but that just wasn't possible in my situation. At least it's not too late, right? Also, for some reason, whenever I upload a new chapter the chapter post, but it doesn't change the time that it says the story was last updated. If that made any sense, and anyone knows how to fix this please tell me. it's getting a little bit annoying. Anyways, thank you to everyone who followed and favorited, and to the guest who reviewed. You guys make my day. I've been really excited to post this chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy it too. Please follow, favorite, and review. Tell me what you think of the story so far. And now, I present, chapter five of A Fractured Fairytale.** **Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own OUaT, I only own my OC, Emmie.**

 **Warning: This chapter contains mentions of abuse and self harm. Please do not read if this will offend you in any way.**

* * *

The bathroom mirror revealed to Emeline just how bad she looked. Her hair was tousled, her skin was overly pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes. No wonder Emma had followed her into the woods earlier. She looked like the walking dead.

First, the girl splashed some water on her face and stripped down to her tank top and underwear. She slowly turned around, inspecting the marks on her back. The welts were red and slightly swollen, but they didn't look to be infected. She knew from experience that it would take another week or two at least for them to fade to scars, but they would probably stop hurting in the next couple of days. At least it was a belt and not a cane. That would have been so much worse.

Turning back around, Emeline slowly took off her tank and folded her dirty clothes before reaching into her bag and pulling out a pair of grey sweatpants and a too large yellow and white long sleeve, plaid shirt. She slipped into the clothes, careful of her back. The girl ran her fingers through her hair a couple of times to try and tame the wavy curls. With one last glance, the girl made sure that the sleeves of the shirt covered her wrist before stepping out of the bathroom.

Emma smiled when she saw the girl. "Much better. Come over here real quick there's someone I want you to meet. This is Mary Margret."

"H-hi," Emmie stuttered slightly, looking down in embarrassment. "Sorry for intruding in your home."

"Nonsense," the brunette replied with a large smile. "You are welcome here anytime."

"Henry's upstairs in the loft. You can put your bag on the bed on the far right."

"Thank you," the young girl replied, walking up the stairs. As she reached the top she could have sworn that she heard the two women say something about a curse.

"Hey!" Henry's face lit up as soon as he saw the ten-year-old. "Are you okay, you still look tired."

Emeline felt a strange feeling at his concern. "Yeah, I'm fine, sorry for falling asleep earlier at the playground."

"It's okay," the boy replied sliding over so the girl could sit down after she placed her bag carefully on the bed opposite him. "Do you want to play a game? The Xbox is downstairs, but we have board games. What about Monopoly?"

"Okay, Monopoly it is. You're going to have to teach me how to play though."

"What! You've never played Monopoly before?" A look of fake shock crossed Henry's face, causing the girl to giggle softly. "It's only the best board game ever! I even got the Star Wars edition for my birthday last year."

* * *

It was about two hours later when Emma went upstairs to check on the two kids. She was pleasantly surprised to see them sitting cross-legged on the floor, playing a game of Monopoly.

"Mom," Henry smiled, looking up from the board after he finished moving his piece six spaces. "Emmie said she'd never played Monopoly before."

"Ah, I see," Emma responded with a smirk. "so naturally that's the game you had to play?"

"Yup," her son responded with a smile as the savior sat down on the floor beside them.

"Alright, well after you finish this round Mary Margret and I need to talk to Emmie."

Emeline looked up, a flash of worry crossing her face.

Emma noticed the look and smiled kindly at the girl. "Don't worry, kid. You're not in trouble or anything."

* * *

The young girl was sitting on the couch beside Mary Margret, Emma having pulled over a chair to sit in front of them.

"Emmie, I need you to tell me: Why did you come to Storybrooke?" Emma's voice was kind as she quizzed the brunette.

"T-to find my parents. My birth cer-certificate says Storybrooke, Maine." the girl sounded unsure as she responded, not meeting either adults' gaze.

The sheriff shared a look with her mother. "Emmie, do you want to meet your mom?"

The girl looked up, an unmasked look of surprise crossing her face. "Y-y-you know her?"

This time it was Mary Margret who responded. "Yes, her name is Belle."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys! So we know who her mother is now, but not the father. I wonder who it could be. I'll give you a hint, it's not Rumple, because I felt like there were already too many fanfictions out there with them as parents. Also, thank you to everyone for the follows, favorites, and reviews. I'm afraid this is the last day that I am going to be able to upload everyday. I wanted to get the storyline moving before I stopped posting as much, and this seems like a good place to stop. This chapter is a little on the short side compared to the other chapters, but the next chapter should be out in a day or two, depending on my schedule And don't worry, just because I'm not updating everyday anymore doesn't mean that I'm going to stop writing this story. I really like these characters, and even if I wanted to I don't think I would be able to stop. With that said, I plan to update once or twice a week from now on, although I don't know on what days. It all depends on when I have class. Since it's break still, you might be able to expect another chapter tomorrow, but I'm not 100 percent sure. Anyways, please tell me what you think of the story so far. Do you love it? Hate it? Tell me in the comments, and please follow and favorite as well. I'm still really curious to see who you all think is Emeline's father now that we know who her mother is. Also, do you guys want to see a Christmas/holidays chapter? If so, tell me. Sorry for the super long author's note, but now, on with the story! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own OUaT, but I do own Emeline.**

* * *

Emeline hadn't said a word since they left the apartment, but neither woman was pressing her to talk. They had waited until David got home to leave Henry, and after brief introductions, they were off.

The bell above the shop door jingled as Emma pushed the door open with one hand, her other wrapped around the girl's shoulders in a comforting and protective manner.

The shop was slightly dark, over half the light coming through the large windows lined with pulled back curtains. There was a brunette girl behind the counter, her nose stuck in a book, although she looked up when she heard the door. "Emma, is-is that-"

"Belle, this is Emeline," Emma introduced with a smile as the woman came out from behind the trinket covered counter. She kneeled down in front of the girl. "Hi."

Emmie looked up at the sheriff for reassurance before focusing her attention back on the bookworm. "H-hi."

Belle's smile grew as she looked at the girl. The ten-year-old had the same dark brown hair and blue eyes as her, as well as the same jawline, however, she had her father's nose.

"It's very nice to meet you, Emeline," Belle hesitated for a second. "Can I give you a hug?"

Emeline seemed to consider the request for a moment before nodding. "Okay."

Emmie stiffened at first at the contact, but after a moment she relaxed, closing her eyes. She didn't know why, but at that moment, everything just felt right. And she felt safe.

* * *

Belle and her daughter were sitting on a couch in the back of the shop, Belle speaking to her daughter in private as the other two had left to go get some food.

"Um," Emeline began slowly, not wanting to anger her mother whom she had just met. "can I-I ask where your a-accent is from?"

Belle laughed slightly. "it's a French accent, and you don't have to worry about asking questions, I'm not going to get mad at you. But now, it's my turn to ask a question."

The woman's tone was playful, and Emeline smiled slightly despite herself. "Okay."

Belle turned slightly serious, although she still wore a small smile. "Do you want to stay here, in Storybrooke, with me?"

Emeline looked up from playing with a thread on the couch. "Y-y-you want me to stay with you?"

Belle met the girl's gaze. "Only if you want to."

A smile grew across the young brunette's face. "Yes!"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you all are having a good day so far, and to those who celebrate Christmas, happy/merry Christmas Eve. I know it would be a little late, probably closer to New Years, rather than Christmas, but please tell me if you would like to see a holiday themed chapter or a couple of chapters. I have a few ideas in mind for that, but I need to know if you guys would like it. Also, leave a comment telling me what you think of the story so far, and if there is anything in particular that you want to happen. I don't really have anything else to say besides please follow and favorite if you enjoy this story, so now, may I present, chapter 7 of A Fractured Fairytale. I'll see to you guys** **again in a couple of day with the next chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I only own my OC, I do not own Once Upon a Time. All rights belong to the creators of the show.**

* * *

The questioning went on for another twenty minutes before Emma and Mary Margret came back with takeout bags from Granny's. The two were greeted by the sight of Belle and Emeline in the front room, Emeline sitting on the glass counter.

"We're back!" Mary Margret greeted with a smile as the small brass bell over the door chimed their arrival.

Belle smiled up at the two. "Thanks for bringing food, guys."

"Anytime," the Savior replied, moving over to stand beside the French woman. Emma bent down slightly, whispering in the young girl's ear. "And no meat this time."

"Thank you," Emmie responded with a smile, hopping carefully off the counter but still wincing. "Ouch."

The sheriff looked pointedly at the girl. "What I said still stands, you still need to be seen by a doctor."

Belle looked worried when she said that but made no comment. It could wait for now.

"Alright, so here's the plan," Mary Margret started, breaking the silence. "Emmie's things are still at my house, so after we eat we can take her back to get her bag and possibly hang out with Henry for a little while longer, then we can bring her to your house, Belle."

The bookworm nodded. "Sounds good to me, I'm pretty sure that Rumple is still at home, and I need to go pick up a few things before we go home anyways. Sound good, Emmie?"

That was the first time that someone had asked her if she was okay with something. She could say no, but why would she. Home. It was such a nice word, and maybe she could finally have one. "Sounds good."

A huge smile grew on Belle's face as she set down the grilled cheese that she had been eating. "We'll need to go shopping soon too. And we can get some stuff to decorate your room with. Anything in particular that you want?"

"Um," the young girl thought for a minute. She had never been asked that before either. It was always you were happy with what you got, and you didn't complain. "N-no. I'm okay with anything, really."

Belle gave her daughter a doubtful look, all kids had opinions, most of them strong, but once again, she didn't say anything.

* * *

"You're back!" Henry's grin was unmistakable as the trio walked through the loft door.

Emma stayed silent, but when she walked by her son, she playfully ruffled his hair causing him to pout and try and undo the damage.

At the same time, Mary Margret had walked over to David, whispering something to him, and leaving Emeline all alone standing in front of the doorway.

The twelve-year-old boy quickly realized this, running over to the girl and gently grabbing Emmie's hand to pull her towards the TV. "Want to play Xbox with me?"

"Sure," Emmie nodded, following him over towards the video game console. "What do you have in mind?"

A smirk crossed Henry's face and he turned around for a second. When he turned back he had two game cases in his hands. "Your choice. Minecraft or Lego Indiana Jones?"

The brunette wordlessly pointed to the picture of a block man with a pickaxe.

"Minecraft it is," The boy stated with a smile, shoving the disk into the Xbox before plopping down on the soft couch and passing the second controller to Emmie.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Emeline paused for a second to look at their project. They had spent the first five minutes finding an outfit which Henry explained was called a skin for the characters. Henry had chosen a knight in full armor, and Emmie had picked an Eeyore costume. Next, the two had set to work on their building. It was something that Henry called the Enchanted Forest, which the girl had never heard of before. The twelve-year-old was working on some kind of black castle with spike looking things while Emeline was planting trees to make the area look more like a forest.

"Where did you get the idea for this?" Emeline asked after a couple more minutes. Emma was over at the counter going through papers and doing sheriff-y things, although she too looked up when she heard the question.

"Um, a storybook that I got last year. A lot of the stories take place here." Henry knew that his response was a bit vague, but his mom had warned him not to tell Emmie about magic or their history. Despite the fact that they now knew it included her too.

"Hey kid," Emma cut in after Henry finished talking. "Sorry to cut the fun short, but it's getting a little late. I think it's time to start logging off so that Emmie can get home."

"Aw, mom," Henry whined, although he was already saving the game. "Can't she stay a little longer?"

"Sorry, kiddo, maybe another time."

"O-okay," Emeline handed the boy the controller, standing up to go get her backpack.

The brunette girl was back downstairs less than a minute later, the well-worn yellow backpack clutched tightly in one hand. "Bye, Henry."

"See you later," the brunette boy responded, waving with a small smile as he switched out the game in the Xbox.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey guys! Wow, it really has been a while since I wrote, hasn't it? I'm really sorry about that, life just got a bit hectic I guess. I had a little bit of free time yesterday though, so I decided to work on my story. I know the chapter's really short and more a filler than anything else, but I'm finally getting back on track with writing. Hopefully, although I can't make any promises, I'll have another normal length chapter up by Friday. That should be possible, especially with spring break right around the corner. Anyways, like I said before, I'm really sorry about the delay for this chapter and about the length. I hope you guys are still out there, and if you are, please favorite, follow, and review! Also, thank you to everyone who already did, and although it's really short I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. That note was a little all over the place, but now, without further ado, I present chapter eight of A Fractured Fairytale. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Also, to the people who guessed on who Emeline's parents are, Rumple isn't the father, but that's pretty close. In my opinion at least it's close, maybe I'm the only one who thinks that, I'm not really sure.**

 **Disclaimer: I only own my OC, Emeline. Everything else belongs to its rightful owners. All mistakes are my own.**

* * *

The Gold house was huge, although it was also pink which Emeline found hilarious.

"Hey kid," Emma smiled at the look of awe on the girl's face. "You just gonna stare, or are we going to go inside?"

"I-inside," Emeline responded softly, shaking her head and causing brunette hair to fall into her face.

The sheriff laughed lightly, gently guiding the girl up to the door and ringing the doorbell. It was only a second before Belle came to the door, a huge smile on her face. "Welcome home, Emeline."

A huge, spontaneous smile broke out across the brunette's face. She'd never had a home before. Maybe this was her chance. "Really?"

Belle was slightly saddened by the girl's disbelief, but she didn't let it show on her face. "Really." Belle reached down, gently grabbing the girl's hand and guiding her inside, the sheriff following behind them.

The inside of the house was even grander than the outside with fancy banisters and expensive looking wallpaper. Emeline spun around in a circle, looking at the room in the front of the house that happened to be a foyer. "Wow," the brunette girl mumbled as she wrapped one hand around the strap of her bookbag. "I get t-to stay here?"

Belle nodded as the blonde sheriff watched the mother and daughter duo. "Yup, your room is upstairs. It's a little plain, but we can decorate it however you like," she responded, motioning for her daughter to follow up the slightly creaky staircase.

Belle lead Emmie up the flight of stairs and down a hall while Emma stayed downstairs, helping herself to a glass of water. When the two reached the room, Belle stopped, looking back at her ten-year-old daughter before pushing on the white, wooden door.

The door swung open with a slight gust of air and Belle steeped back to allow the kid to look past her and into her new bedroom.


End file.
